Blushing
by IcedSalamander
Summary: Natsu and Gray are starting to act strange. During a mission, Natsu takes a hit for Gray. How will Gray repay him? And how will their feelings toward each other change?


"What'd you say, fire breath?" Gray asked, stepping up to Natsu with an icy glare.

"What'd you just call me?" Natsu asked, his hands encased in spheres of flames.

They were at it again. They seemed to be getting into more arguments lately to the point where Erza had thought they would rip each other to pieces for good.

"You wanna take this outside?" the fiery, pink-haired boy growled.

"Why? It's not like you've ever hesitated to rip this place apart before," Gray snapped.

"Guys! Cut it out!" Erza chimed in, looking annoyed.

They both stopped and looked at her.

Gray sighed and walked outside, his shirt having been mysteriously disposed of during his encounter with the Salamander.

Natsu hmphed and stormed the other way, looking at the board of different cases he could take.

"What's up with them lately?" Lucy thought out loud, looking concerned.

"I don't know. But Natsu's been acting weird," Happy added.

"Yeah.." the celestial wizard agreed. "They stopped randomly appearing in my apartment too."

-Gray's POV-

"Jeez, what the hell is wrong with me?" I asked, running a hand through my hair and sighing. I turned around and looked at owner of an all too familiar voice when he called my name.

"Gray!" he called again, catching up to me. He shoved a paper in my hands. "Let's go." He walked past me.

I blinked in surprise, hesitating. I couldn't help but smile to myself, shaking my head and rolling my eyes. Typical Natsu. I followed him, not bothering to look at the paper. It didn't matter what or who we were facing. Him and I couldn't lose.

"Where are those two?" Lucy asked Erza, looking worried.

"I don't know. But if they're not back soon, we'll go look for them," Erza said seriously.

"Juvia will save her Gray. Juvia will win his love!" the girl dressed in blue looked determined.

Just as they were about to leave, Gray stumbled in, supporting an unconscious Natsu even though he could hardly stand himself.

"Natsu!" Happy exclaimed.

Gray fell to his knees, panting softly and looking exhausted.

"Lucy, Juvia, get Natsu to the infirmary," Erza ordered.

The two girls complied, Juvia a bit reluctant to leave Gray.

"Gray, what happened?" the redhead asked, kneeling down and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"He took the hit for me. It happened so fast I couldn't do anything," Gray shivered.

She frowned, pulling him up and guiding him to the infirmary.

"Natsu's in bad shape isn't he? Is he gonna die?" Happy sobbed.

"I don't know, Happy," Erza said quietly. "I don't know."

-Natsu's POV-

I woke up and immediately felt like I'd been crushed by several tons of stone. "Nghm.." I sat up but regretted having even moved.

"Natsu!" Happy cheered.

"Where's Gray? Is he okay?" I asked, looking around. The room was empty aside from me and Happy. Where was he?

"I don't know. When I woke up, he was gone," the blue cat explained.

"Huh?" I slowly stood, running a hand through my hair. I saw a small piece of paper on the empty bed beside the one I'd been in. I picked it up.

"Natsu,

You took a hit for me, so I'll take one for you. Nobody and nothing hurts you and lives. Don't worry, we'll split the profit 50/50. Don't follow me. Get some rest, fire breath.

-Gray"

I stared at the words for some time before Happy got impatient with my silence.

"What's it say?" he asked.

"Happy, can you fly me somewhere?" he asked.

"Aye, sir! For a dozen fish!" he cheered.

"Right," I agreed. "Let's go!" I ran toward the door, slamming straight into a cold body and falling flat on my back.

"Natsu!" Gray fell backwards as well, sitting up and looking at me in surprise, "Why are you up?"

"Gray! You're okay? I mean..not that I care! But.." I looked away.

"Yeah, of course. Here," he handed me a small bag of jewel.

I looked at it, slowly taking it from him and blinking. "Gray, you-"

"Shut up. Now we're even," he rubbed the back of his neck and stood, holding a hand out to me.

I took his hand and stood, grinning, "Thanks."

"No problem, fire breath," he smiled.

I looked down at our hands and I felt an unfamiliar burning sensation in my cheeks.

"Natsu..are you..are you blushing?" Gray asked.

"What?! No way! You wanna go, frosty the snowman?" I snapped.

"What'd you just call me?" Gray was up in my face in an instant, his dark eyes blazing(Heh..blazing).

"You're in looooove!" Happy piped in.

"No, I'm not!" we both said at once, my cheeks burning again.

I noticed Gray's cheeks were tinted red instead of the normal pale color. It looked nice on him. Wait, what?

Meanwhile Juvia was in the corner, looking furious, "Another love rival! Juvia will prevail! Juvia will have Gray no matter who she must destroy!"


End file.
